Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-24
IELTS Writing Task 1 question
The graph below gives information about the number of jobs in four sectors of the economy in the US between 1960 and 2020.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Number of jobs in four sectors of the economy in the US, 1960-2020
Student answer (Band 6.0)
The line graph illustrates the number of employees in four different sectors in the United States between 1960 and 2020.
Overall, the number of jobs in Retail and Healthcare increased, whereas employment in Manufacturing and Agriculture declined over the period.
The number of jobs in Healthcare increased steadily from 2 million in 1960 to approximately 16 million in 2020. Similarly, employment in Retail grew gradually from 6 million in 1960 to approximately 16 million in 2020.
In contrast, the number of jobs in Manufacturing stood at 15 million in 1960 and climbed dramatically to approximately 20 million in 1980, before declining steadily to 17 million in 2000 and 13 million in 2020. Meanwhile, employment in Agriculture decreased from 6 million in 1960 to 3 million in 1980, remained stable at 3 million in 2000, and then fell to 2 million in 2020.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
The response provides a clear overall summary and reports the main trends and features of the four sectors shown in the line graph, including accurate data points such as the peak for Manufacturing in 1980 and the terminal figures in 2020. Key comparisons between growing and declining sectors are successfully made. However, it must be noted that the response is 8 words under the 150-word minimum requirement. Under standard IELTS criteria, failing to meet the minimum word count requires a downward adjustment in Task Achievement, preventing the score from reaching a Band 7.0 despite the accurate data reporting.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5
The response is logically organised and easy to follow. It begins with a clear introductory sentence, moves into a well-crafted overview paragraph summarizing the general trends, and subsequently groups the specific data into logical body paragraphs comparing the increasing sectors against the decreasing ones. Cohesive devices such as 'In contrast' and 'Meanwhile' are used appropriately to signal shifts between ideas, and paragraphing is logical and effective throughout.
Lexical Resource: Band 6.0
The student demonstrates a sufficient range of vocabulary appropriate for an academic task, incorporating terms like 'employment', 'declined', 'climb dramatically', and 'remain stable'. Word choice is generally precise, although the language relies somewhat on standard vocabulary patterns rather than more sophisticated or uncommon lexical items. Spelling and word formation are entirely accurate, ensuring that communication is never hindered.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5
The text displays a good variety of sentence structures, mixing simple sentences with complex forms containing prepositional phrases and participial clauses (e.g., 'before declining steadily to 17 million in 2000'). Grammatical control is strong, yielding a high proportion of error-free sentences. Minor lapses are absent, and punctuation is managed correctly throughout the entire short essay.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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